California Cosmetology Written ExamSafety and Infection ControlHard
A cosmetologist is injured due to an unsafe workplace hazard that is not specifically addressed by any published Cal/OSHA standard. Under Cal/OSHA, the employer's general obligation to provide a workplace free of recognized hazards is known as the:
- AHazard Communication Standard
- BGeneral Duty Clause
- CBloodborne Pathogens Standard
- DErgonomics Guideline
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. General Duty Clause
The General Duty Clause requires employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm, even when no specific Cal/OSHA standard addresses that particular hazard. This serves as a catch-all safety requirement.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong—Hazard Communication covers labeling/SDS for chemicals, a specific standard.
- C. Wrong—Bloodborne Pathogens is a specific standard for blood exposure risks.
- D. Wrong—Ergonomics is a specific area of guidance, not the catch-all clause.
Cal/OSHA General Duty Clause
Requires employers to maintain a workplace free of recognized hazards likely to cause serious harm, even without a specific applicable standard.
- Acts as a catch-all safety requirement
- Applies when no specific standard exists
- Employers must still comply with specific standards where applicable
- Enforced alongside standards like Hazard Communication and Bloodborne Pathogens
Memory trick: General Duty Clause = the catch-all safety net when no specific rule exists